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Depression in patients with Parkinson's disease
1UCLA Medical Centre, California, USA.
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
|September 10, 1999
Summary
Depression is common in Parkinson's disease (PD) but often undertreated. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) show promise as a well-tolerated first-line treatment for PD patients with depression.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) frequently co-occurs with depression, affecting up to 40% of patients.
- Depression in PD is often undertreated due to limited clinical trials and careful medication selection needs.
- Elderly PD patients often take multiple medications, complicating antidepressant choice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the characteristics of depression comorbid with Parkinson's disease.
- To discuss available and emerging treatment options for depression in PD patients.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on depression in Parkinson's disease.
- Analysis of antidepressant efficacy and tolerability in PD patients.
Main Results:
- Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are generally avoided due to anticholinergic side effects.
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) offer comparable efficacy to TCAs with better tolerability.
- SSRIs are increasingly considered first-line therapy for depression in Parkinson's disease.
Conclusions:
- Further clinical studies are warranted to confirm the efficacy and safety of SSRIs in PD patients.
- Careful consideration of side effect profiles is crucial when selecting antidepressants for Parkinson's disease patients.
- SSRIs represent a promising therapeutic option for managing comorbid depression in Parkinson's disease.